KEY WEST, FL- Betsey C. Smith died on July 2. She was born February 21, 1945 and in her lifetime, with eloquence and a fistful of tenacity, she embraced the virtues of family, self-fulfillment, and hope.

As an advocate for those on the margins of society, Mrs. Smith was a pioneer with a manmade shovel. She was the epitome of the wild spirit that shone a light on all that was right and good for the world. “Imagine” was her favorite word. An unshakeable belief in the human spirit was the vision that God put into her eyes.

Mrs. Smith’s professional career began in Massachusetts with the development of the Women’s Health and Learning Center at the Lancaster Pre-release Center. She co-founded Social Justice for Women, a nonprofit organization dedicated to restoring the health and independence of women in prison and was awarded the the 38th Presidential Point of Light in 1991 for opening the Neil J. Houston House in Roxbury, MA.

After serving as the assistant director of the Massachusetts Committee on Criminal Justice, Mrs. Smith moved to Key West in 1996 and became the Drug Court Coordinator for the 16th Judicial Circuit of Monroe County. Mrs. Smith will be loved forever by her husband, Bob Smith; daughter, Elizabeth and husband Josh; daughter, Lara and husband Chris; son Chard and wife Caroline; her glorious grandchildren, Sean, Ryan, Jacob, Julia, Nicolas, Zoe, Bella, Will, and Charlotte.

A memorial service will be held in Key West. Arrangements by Barrett Funeral Home.

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